Greek pair arrive at Arles

Ligue 1 new boys Arles-Avignon have secured the signatures of Angelos Basinas and Angelos Charisteas.

Basinas and Charisteas link up with Ligue 1 minnows

Ligue 1 new boys Arles-Avignon have secured the signatures of Angelos Basinas and Angelos Charisteas on two-year contracts. Holding midfielder Basinas spent the 2009/10 campaign with Portsmouth, but tasted relegation out of the Premier League and was released. Experienced frontman Charisteas also arrives as a free agent, having terminated his contract with German outfit Nuremberg last week. Both men were part of the Greece side that upset the odds in 2004 by landing the European Championship crown and are looking forward to opening a new chapter in their career.

Help

"I don't know the French championship but I've played in England and in Spain and I've experienced a situation like Arles-Avignon's at Mallorca," said Basinas. "I'm coming to help and do everything for my team." Arles were promoted into the French top flight last season after finishing third in Ligue 2, but were competing in the fifth tier as recently as 2006. They have yet to open their account in Ligue 1 this season and currently sit bottom of the table following back-to-back defeats.